Lifeline
by Charlie-Bolly
Summary: When Alex just about thinks that her relationship is on the floor with fellow officer, DCI Gene Hunt, things seem to suddenly change. Change they do- all around Fenchurch East CID. And yet again, we certainly see another side to Mr. Hunt. Galex fic.


Notes before you read... This fanfic is my first, so don't think it will be perfect. It's a rather long fic, so sit back with plenty of time. Throughout this fic, you will need certain tracks to feel the full affect of the emotion/ events play the tracks as soon as they are mentioned. These are the tracks in order that you need:

Spandau Ballet- Lifeline  
Yazoo- Only You  
Spandau Ballet- True  
Edmund Butt- Get Me Home  
Edmund Butt- Hunt's Theme  
Edmund Butt- Gene Undercover  
Edmund Butt- The Kiss  
Bonnie Tyler- Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Enjoy! xxxxx.

Alex leaned on her window sill, relaxing to Spandau Ballet's Lifeline, thinking deeply.  
The rain streamed down the window in an unnatural fashion. It seemed to portray an unnatural sense that this world wasn't after all real to Alex, something she had forgotten in the last few months. Her life was here, in 1983 now; 1983 was real. Some odd times, she seemed to remember a phone that didn't have wires and you could carry it everywhere with you, it was small and you could take pictures and play music on, but she just brushed these thoughts to a side, remembering that they were from that dream she'd had a few nights ago.

# "Changing her colours she's off to the shore,  
She rides the soul train and he fights the law.  
There's power in his voice and it makes her feel so sure,  
So live and live in love,  
One day he'll build a statue with his hands,  
So gentle when he tries to understand. "#

A dream were she had dreamt that she was a soul from the future world of 2008 and had been shot of some kind by someone and that bullet had seem to take her back in time to the 80's. She knew that the dream was paranormal and supernatural, but somehow, it seemed too real to be just a singular dream of twisted properties. It had felt like she had once lived there and it seemed true. But she couldn't remember having a daughter. What was her name from the dream? She had forgotten. It made no sense. She retired her thoughts to a side, dismissing those of her wild imagination.

# "Exchanging their letters their exits begun,  
With deathless precision he's aiming his gun.  
A democracy of sorts that justifies the sun,  
So live and let live in love.  
Neither has the ghost of a chance,  
Those decisions only can be made once.  
You never really know just what you're giving,  
Till you're living in the lifeline..."#

Imagination. That word trapped in her head deeply, thinking back to some of those "other" dreams that her mind had taken her off to, bizarre perhaps they were, but maybe significant she thought. Then obviously there was those dreams of a certain CID "friend" that she believed she knew well now. The "friend" who seemed to save her from death every time she was nearing the closing stages of her life, the friend who she wondered about. How many times now had he had to resuscitate her now? He was a bloody hero and she saw this him, along with his other side. She just wished he could realise her loving side for him, or maybe show it a little more as she had defiantly seen this side in him once or twice before.

The startling high pitched ring of the red, plastic phone in Alex's flat made her depart her wondering thoughts and swiftly pace over several piles of files and folders of the latest case in Fenchurch East CID to reach her phone. She picked up the phone carefully as if it was a fragile ornament and spoke sweetly into the receiver, knowing instantly who it was.

"Hello?"  
"Bolly. Erm... Are you doin' much tonight?"  
She knew immediately that this was one very Gene Hunt either asking her out for a "slap up meal" as he called them, a drink downstairs in Luigi's or another one of his "talks" whilst they went for a walk around one of the many parks in London.  
"Well... No, not really."  
"Ah. Well, y'know, you could always come out for a meal at that new classy place down the road... If you want that is." He paused. "Not as you have to, but... Y'know..."  
She could feel his pure warmth through the phone; he was probably smiling right now, she guessed by his tone.  
" Yeah. Yeah... Sure. Why not?"  
"Right. Ok then."  
She could tell that he was almost certainly blushing right now; his voice alone illustrated plenty of his emotion even when his face wasn't there.  
"Ok. Your time, my place?"  
"Yeah... The usual." He paused. She guessed that he was still in the station in his chaotic office and was without a doubt checking that no one of the likes of Ray or Chris was still lurking around before saying his typical line.  
"Oh. And wear something a bit... Something slutty."  
"Yeah, ok. See you in a bit."  
"Right. Ok. That's sorted. Ok. See you at 7.00."  
"Ok. Bye."

And with that, she replaced the receiver on her phone and began to make a progress towards getting prepared. Gene had given her 30 minutes to make herself look fabulous, so she had to act a speedy move.

30 minutes later, she was contented with her look; a perfect strappy electric blue dress, her favourite red beads, a ideal red belt, her preferred red heels and her hair and make up the most wonderful it had ever been. She had wondered why Gene had unexpectedly asked her tonight of all nights. Only earlier in the day they had this pathetic argument over who's fault that Gene's door had collapsed and fallen off its hinges. This would had been apparent to anyone who had known Gene and his unpredictable temper and how he had kicked his door in rage but somehow had blamed Alex just because she had happened to be the nearest one in the office who had dropped a stack load of files right next to his door. Ok, the door had fallen directly onto Alex, knocking her out. But Gene had still yelled at her as if it was her fault before it fell on her. Maybe he had dregs of apologetic vibes finally in him now, the reason being why he seemed to be being all kind again.

"Thinking of whom, here comes the very man himself now..." Alex muttered to herself as the typical squeal of skidding tyres and steamy brakes drew closer. She fiddled with her hair once more, making it into a perfect shape and picked up her new electric blue handbag up for the night. A thud and a clatter. A Gene Hunt.  
"Oi! Are you comin' or what, Bolly?"

Alex carefully opened the door gracefully, slowly revealing herself in all her glory to Gene in her flamboyant blue and red outfit. He seemed to be some what over whelmed by Alex's slender looks in her slim fitting new dress, speechless of how truly beautiful she looked tonight. After missing a few beats, he finally managed to speak.  
"Wow..." And that's all he could control himself to reply with.  
Alex beamed back at him, immediately knowing that she had made the utterly precise outfit for the night.  
"You said something with a bit of class!" She grinned back whilst locking her door. The one wink at Gene as she twisted round as she un-slotted the shiny silver key and the way how they walked out together under the moonlight and the stars would have said it all, you would have thought. Yet somehow, these two would never catch each other's hints and how their relationship had started to progress from just an office fling steadily to a full love affair.

Gene had said about a classy place, but Alex had not been expecting a Restaurant of this type. It was lavish. Romantic dimmed chandeliers hung glittering from the ruby red, extravagantly decorated ceiling, each table was lined with pearly white silky table cloths and a candle placed with care in the very centre of the table flickering welcomingly.  
"Wow! I do like this place."  
"I said you would, Bolls."  
He smiled at her, knowing that the night already seemed to be running perfectly how he wanted it. She smiled back at him, knowing that the cards for once in their relationship seemed to be playing right. They were seated in a posh, cherry red, padded corner seat and armed with two smart, delicate menus. Complimentary wine had already been served on their arrival; Alex had near enough gulped all of the blood red solution down in one, clearly enjoying the conversation that she and Gene were pleasantly having.

"You know this is me apologizing from earlier, don't you?"  
"Yes."  
"How is your head? Still hurting?"  
"It's fine. Honesty. Stop fussing over me! I've had far worse in my life."  
"You haven't got kids?"  
"No, I haven't! Why?"  
"Well nothing can be more painful that giving birth, can it?"  
They both laughed, yet Alex seemed to remember the name Molly in her head all of a sudden, but she didn't know why and ignored this niggling thought in the back of her head and resumed to enjoy the night.

Once they had finished off the strawberry cheesecake and what seemed other glass of wine on top of the four others or so that they had swung down, the decision was clear that they were off to a pub next.

Luigi's was thought at the time to be the best bet. Most probably the cheapest bar in town and if you could manage to speak to Luigi right, he'd let you have a drink or two for nothing. They were in their usual corner seat just in front of immense painting that lined the back wall in the little Italian bar, probably by now had drunk a few too many, but yet still had a whole new, fresh wine bottle to work through.

"I... I luuuurve this place." Alex was clearly drunk and decided to lay her shoulders and head over Gene, unable to support herself.  
"This place isn't just the thing that I love..." Gene looked into her half shut eyes, hoping that his thoughts right now may have matched Alex's. Alex rolled around and then violently sat up, alarming Gene with surprise.  
"Christ. 'Bout shocked my whole contents of dinner out of me, bolls."  
"I need some water... Ugh... I feel sick."

She rose to her feet and wobbled hazardously in her drunken state over to the bar with Gene closely following her, perhaps not as drunk. She could scarcely stand up anymore, went to go and lean on the bar for support but stumbled side ways, ploughing up several bar stools and coming to an un-dignifying halt on the floor, her dress coming up revealing her knickers to Gene. She seemed to be in such a drunken state that she just lay there, groaning, her eyes half shut, moving her arm above her head and looking directly into Gene's face, who now was towering above her wondering what to do next. She was clearly in a complete mess.

Undoubtedly, it was time for one of those same moments of picking her up like he had previously done back when she had first walked into his life back in 1981. Maybe not all fur coat and no knickers this time; she had certainly come on with her looks alot since then and fashion, Gene thought. He picked her up and carried her upstairs and threw her onto her bed, she groaned once again and rolled around on her bed. Gene covered her up and tucked her up in bed as he would have done with his own daughter if he had ever had one, and left her to sleep her drunken state off.

Gene had by this point had clearly realised that even he was far too drunk to even manage to drive back without crashing and had no other alternative but to either sleep inside the Quattro or at Alex's flat. The first one didn't sound too comfortable to him, so he resorted to staying the night at Alex's; she wouldn't mind surely, would she? He made himself snug on her black, leather, classy rotating chair and dosed off.

The new day had dawned and both Alex and Gene were awoken by the sharp ring of the red phone again in Alex's flat. Alex rolled over to answer her phone clearly showing the results of the former night; excessively too much to drink and the night spent with Gene. The voice on the other end penetrated through her pained head and hang-over symptoms and sliced straight through her.  
"Ugh... Hello?"  
"Ma'am, are you coming in today? The Guv's not even shown up yet... And Ray's phoned in ill. There's only me and Chris here."  
"Yes... Shaz... I'll... be... in... in... a bit..."  
"Are you ok? You sound ill..."  
"No... No... I'm fine Shaz."  
"Ok. Bye Ma'am."  
"Bye Shaz."  
Alex replaced the vibrant red phone receiver and groggily rolled back round in bed, and found she became face to face with a familiar face. Her first thoughts were "Shit! I couldn't have been that drunk, could I?" Her second thoughts were "Well at least it was him and not another thatcherite wanker...!" And with those reflections, she thought it would be good idea to make a move to get ready for work.

The reactions from CID did not go down well. Gene and Alex both walking in together four hours late, both wearing sunglasses, clearly both with hang-over's wasn't ever going to look good with the Super. Shaz as always was worried for Alex's wellbeing and if she was ok. But as for everyone else, they presumed that they had something going on. Gene had been greeted by the return of his smutty drawing that he had drawn two years ago of him and Alex pinned up on his office door. CID rolled into snorts of laughter for when he pulled it down, furiously ripped it up and dramatically hurled it in the bin, throwing most of them a livid look.

The day seemed to be a hard fight for the pair to get through, their complete fatigue was not supportive when trying to pursue down "criminal scrum" on foot, never mind with the hang-over chucked in on top of that. Plus they had the likes of Chris and Ray (who had unexpectedly turned in to work later than they had and showed no indication of even being ill) frequently making smutty jokes about the two when they thought they weren't paying attention.

CID was empty, everyone had left. The glow of warm light came from Gene's office, knowing that he was completely alone- everyone had gone for a drink in Luigi's after the frenzied day. He sat relaxed; his famously known snakeskin boots perched on his battered desk, leaning back in his special office chair, his hands resting on his head. He did love the relaxing tones of Yazoo's- Only You after a lengthy, tough day. Footsteps. He could have sworn that everyone had gone. No? He opened his eyes to see Alex looking at him through the glass of the office door

# "Looking from the window above,  
It's like a story of love.  
Can you hear me?"#

She opened it and leaned on the door way, leaning in all affection to him.  
"You ok?"  
"Yeah. You?"  
"Yeah."

# "All I needed was the love you gave,  
All I needed for another day.  
And all I ever knew,  
Only You."#

"I thought you'd gone with the rest to Luigi's..."  
"I was waiting for you. Outside. But then you never came."  
"Sorry Bolls." He smiled up at her, the chemistry sparking away through the gap between the desk and the door way where Alex stood.  
"I'm always in here, you know that." He smiled again. That smile, like all of us, Alex could not escape, it had got her in his grip now.

# "All I needed was the love you gave,  
All I needed for another day.  
And all I ever knew,  
Only You."#

They missed a beat or a few, the music playing clearly in the background, stood there staring at each other. Staring and staring, gripping in each other, the glitter in each other's eyes.

# "All I needed was the love you gave,  
All I needed for another day.  
And all I ever knew,  
Only You."#

The smile overwhelmed Alex who moved closer and perched herself on the corner of Gene's desk. She smiled back at him, with this gleam in her eyes. They miss a few more beats; just staring. Staring madly and deeply into each other's eyes.

# "This is going to take a long time,  
And I wonder what's mine,  
Can't take no more.  
Wonder if you'll understand,  
It's just the touch of your hand,  
Behind a closed door."#

Alex moves even closer to him and they hold hands. They sit there, staring once again.

# "All I needed was the love you gave,  
All I needed for another day.  
And all I ever knew,  
Only You."#

"Gene..."

Christ, if this was a chemistry lesson, the whole lab would have set alight now! They sit there, eyes glinting in the office light, staring into each other.  
The track fades out.  
The calming, tender, romantic beats of Spandau Ballet's True come on next on Gene's tape player.

# "Huh huh huh hu-uh huh.  
Huh huh huh hu-uh huh."#

They both stare into each others eyes.

# "So true, funny how it seems,  
Always in time, but never in line for dreams."#

They both slowly move, closer.

# "Head over heels when toe to toe."  
This is the sound of my soul,  
This is the sound."#

Slowly, closer.

# "I bought a ticket to the world,  
But now I've come back again.  
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?  
Oh I want the truth to be said."#

Closer.

# "Huh huh huh hu-uh huh,  
I know this much is true."#

They look dreamily at each other, almost touching now.

# "Huh huh huh hu-uh huh,  
I know this much is true."#

They move even nearer, slowly.

# "With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue,  
Dissolve the nerves that just begun."#

Then go in for the kill.

That's what we've all been waiting for; a 'galex' kiss as everyone calls it. They just sit there, enduring this extended romantic snog, lip to lip, full on romantic smooch.

# "Listening to Marvin (all night long.)  
This is the sound of my soul,  
This is the sound...  
Always slipping from my head,  
Sands of time I've been told,  
Take your seats and I'll write the next line,  
Oh I want the truth to be known.  
Huh huh huh hu-uh huh,  
I know this much is true.  
Huh huh huh hu-uh huh  
I know this much is true."#

They finally withdraw.  
"Wow." Alex is taken for words. She finally manages to speak again.  
"You kiss by the book."  
Gene smiles affectingly back at Alex and stands up.  
"I wouldn't say that, Bolls. That's what Juliet says. Don't want it to end that way, do we?"  
Alex giggles at his joke.  
"No."  
"No beautiful woman like Fenchurch East's CID one can die like Juliet did... No tragic endings here."  
That smile. God, Alex, you are lucky! Twice with that dreamy smile at you. It traps her again. They start to move in again for another kiss, slowly once again.

# "I bought a ticket to the world,  
But now I've come back again.  
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?  
Oh I want the truth to be said."#

This time they both move in for an embrace a romantic hug at the same time similar to Sam and Annie, entering another long, romantic snog.

# "Huh huh huh hu-uh huh,  
I know this much is true.  
Huh huh huh hu-uh huh,  
I know this much is true.  
This much is true.  
This much is true.  
This much is true.  
I know, I know, I know this much is true  
This much is true."#

For what seems like eternity, they finally break away from another very long smooch. This time they are both overcome. They both just stand there, leaning on one of Gene's cabinets. Staring deeply. As the track fades out so does the scene.

We see our contented couple a month later down the line, still fighting the wave of scum in Fenchurch East CID. He's now moved in with her; he lives in that little, swashy flat with Alex above Luigi's. It's rumoured that Gene did propose to Alex privately a few days ago and she said "yes" and is now to be seen with a small golden ring on one of her fingers. But things are about to turn sour in this fairytale relationship.

It's another one of those frantic days in CID; a huge crime is about to kick off and its Fenchurch East's job to stop it. Gene wants to get good results out of this one to make his self and his team look good to the Super. Everyone is under deep pressure, especially Alex, who now has just found out that she is expecting Gene's baby. Alex and Gene had arrived in CID earlier than everyone else. They needed to talk. Properly, and out of the flat.  
"How are you feeling, Bolly?"  
He lent on the desk at the side of her, looking down at her with all of his care.  
"I'm good." She tried to look positive.  
"Are you sure you're ok? You look sick with worry..."  
"No. I'm not really. Gene..."  
She looked into his eyes like she had done all so romantically those weeks ago. This was a different look. A look of worry and beg for help.  
"What?"

Edmund Butt's Get Me Home plays here.

Alex reduced into tears, trying hard not to cry but the pressure on her seemed to be too hard. She tried to hide her face, but Gene didn't mind being there to comfort her and moved to put his arm around her delicate frame. The tears flowed down her face like a beginning of a thunderstorm, falling onto the miniature paper clip kingdom below on her desk.  
"I'm..." She burst into yet more tears.  
"Bolls, don't cry." He put his arm around her tighter to reassure her.  
"What... What Am I going to do, Gene?"  
"Bolls...?"  
"I'm... I'm expecting..." She couldn't bring herself to say the rest, but Gene knew what she meant straight away anyway. "I won't ...be able to... cope..."  
"You'll be a brilliant Mother, Alex. And I'm going to be a Daddy." He smiled both happily to himself and to Alex.  
"But... but what will they think?"  
"Stuff what they think. It's if you're ok that matters."  
"But I'm not. I'm not ready for this, Gene... I'm not. We're not. Both of us." More tears flooded down her face.  
"Well I'm always here for you. And I always will be, right until the last second of life."  
She managed a smile at him through her tears, wiped away the droplets and looked straight into his eyes, still tearfully.  
"Does it mean I'll lose my job?"  
"Not at all. Not if it's anything that I am involved in."  
She tried to smile reassuringly back at him, but her colour fades away.  
"Ugh... I'm think I'm gonna be sick..."

She had never seen Gene move so quickly and grab the nearest waste paper bin. He didn't seem to mind that she was throwing up in front of him; he just comforted her, putting his arm around her back and generally being supportive for her. After all, she did need as much support as she could possibly have. She had no parents to be there for her, she only had him.  
"Here." Gene passed her a damp cloth which she appreciatively dabbed onto her fevered face, taking in the cold, dampness of the soothing, calming clean rag.  
"Thanks." She smiled back up at him, still looking a little feverish. Gene picked up the cloth and the bin and made out of CID with them before anyone else came in and started those jokes again. Alex sat there in the empty office at her desk, unsure what she should do. She made a effort to stand up and attempt to walk the short distance over to the other side of CID to pick up the files that she guessed she'd be working on today, but the whole room was spinning, the colour fading, and fading, and fading. Until it became nothingness.

Alex could hear echoing voices, but could not tell whose voices exactly they were. All of a sudden, she seemed to be no longer Alex Drake, but some guardian angel floating above her body collapsed in the middle of CID with Shaz rushing in and shouting for Gene. Panic, it was in that very office. Gene had phoned for an ambulance; she watched as the paramedics lifted her body out of the room and down several flights of stairs and into the back of the ambulance, accompanied by Gene holding her hand all of the way.

She awoke to the sound of bleeping- oh that regular sound of that hospital filled Alex with dread. How many times had she woken to find herself here? Too many, perhaps. Gene was sat at the side of her, holding her hand tenderly.  
"Gene...?" She asked reassuringly, her vision still blurred.  
"Bolly." She heard a reply and presumed that he must be the one clutching her pale hand.  
"Ugh... What happened? ...What day is it?" Her version re-adjusting to her new surroundings, she turned at gazed at Gene.  
"You collapsed. Gave us all a right fright." He smiled at her once again. "You've been in here for two days."  
"Two days? God...?"  
"No, I'm Gene, not God. Starts with the same letter, mind. I'm not growing a beard if that's what you want! Although I'd like to think that I had similar qualities as him."  
She laughs at his joke and with full vision now, she moves to sit up. The surroundings of a hospital she had seen too many times before; the usual curtains surrounding her bed, the green, un-comfy plastic chair with the contents of Gene sat in it accompanying the very bed she lay in. She seemed to close her eyes and all of a sudden see the dream that she had played in her mind a few months back. Gene singing into a spanner, looking quiet frankly like a right dipstick along with Chris, Ray and DC Slate, all dancing their stuff out to Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. She re-opened her eyes, glancing back at Gene, an immediate grin mounting onto her face imagining if he had really done that entertaining dance in real life.

Three more weeks had passed by, Alex was back up and well, working away in CID once again. So far she seemed to be getting away with wearing loose-fitting tops so that the Super didn't detect the small bump that was quickly growing within her.  
This crime this week seemed to be a big one. Gene came waltzing out of his office in his usual fashion and launched into another one of his team plans.  
"Right, this Frankie scum bag knows how to cover all of his bastard tracks, making this investigation even harder for us. He's got the whole sodding police force at a crying shame at him- they all think that he is a bastard, but an innocent bastard and through his good ways, he always manages to wiggle his way out of their grip and get them to release him early, free, and off charge. I know that some of the force is corrupt, but not my station. We're about the only lot now who don't have anyone rubbing someone else's back. Now, this scum bag Frankie is calling a job with his police 'friends' and its going to be big. Now we need to find out where, when and what it is. Ray, Chris, you pair of tonsils, go and investigate down at Frankie's warehouse. Bolly, you're coming with me to the prison; we'll be interviewing some of Frankie's bastard friends. Now move. Quick, quick, quick!"

Ray and Chris made an immediate move out of CID, with Chris foolishly tripping over his own shoe lace, landing flat on his face right in the focus of CID. The entire of CID roared into hysterics of laughter.  
"You twonk." Ray stood waiting for him at the double doors of the office, sniggering at Chris' poor attempts to rush. He stood there, almost like a brave, heroic character, discharging left over ash out of his burning cigarette and took another bold puff into his cigarette and then turned to leave with his idiotic friend also know as Chris, who was still recovering from his embarrassing moment.

The laughter at Chris' misfortune had finally faded out and the office seemed to be back to its very normal state. The typical murmur had creped back up, the odd ring of a phone; everyone was busy getting on with their work. The clearing of a throat broke the regular office soundtrack. Alex glanced up from writing notes to the doorway, wondering just what Gene wanted to have words with her about now. He'd had the entire of last night to talk. And this morning. Why did he unexpectedly need to have 'words' with her right now? She was mystified.  
She rose, entered the office, and closed the door softly behind herself.  
"Gene?"  
Gene got up and moved to the area just behind Alex, closing the blinds on all of his office windows and office door.  
"Here. Don't stand. Sit in my seat." He pointed to his special chair.  
"No, honestly, I'm fine." Alex persisted.  
"Well... you see the thing is... Well the Super suspects there's been a bit of... well you know. And he's not happy."  
"Oh... He has noticed my bump then?"  
"Not as far as I know, no. But he's noticed our relationship."  
"Oh... And what's... What's he got to say about it?"  
"He's not happy with it being, as he put it an 'in and out relationship.'"  
"In and out?" At this point Alex saw nothing of the serious side and burst out laughing at this comment that the Super had all so seriously stated. Gene did, perhaps for a few seconds have a smutty grin on his face.  
"Meaning it's a relationship which we will be all loved up one minute, falling out the next. One that he says will never work and will get in the way of the workings in the force."  
"Pffttt... Like he knows anything."  
"Exactly. He doesn't know anything. He doesn't know about that." Gene gently lifted Alex's arm and moved her hand out, revealing the gleaming golden ring.  
"I know. It has been... rather rash... and fairly kept hush hush. But you said it was for our own good."  
"You see, the only way we're gonna be able to stay in the same station, is if we either end our 'silly fairytale relationship' as his lordship states, or move the date forward..."  
"Cheeky sod! So... When are we going to move the date to?"  
"I dunno... There's so much going on around here, but once everything's calmed, I can promise you, we'll make it. Then it'll keep the Super happy and hey, we'll be official quicker!" He smiled at her, trying to send her a positive vibe.  
"Well that's good then." She beamed back at him.  
"But it's as long as we continue and solve the crimes, we can both stay in this same station."  
"Well I don't think that will be hard... Not with you around anyway!" She laughed back at him.  
"C'mon, crimes to solve ey?" He threw the Quattro keys to her and they both turned to leave, both smiling.

The Quattro skidded off in its normal fashion when one certain Gene Hunt was behind the wheels. His driving, Alex thought may have seen unwise and stupid, but it still added to his character, and some how added that sexy style to him.

The prison was dreary, dull and carried at deathly air about it. It smelt of stale disinfectant and cheap food then had been overcooked. The stench made Alex feel a little queasy, but never the less she carried on with her job, bearing in mind what Gene had said about the Super being on their backs. They entered a cell with one of those glass dividers separating Gene and Alex from a scruffy, rough looking, messed up man. Man, that's even if you could call him one.

"You better speak soon sunny. I know you know more than you're letting on. You're with some of Frankie's big bastards. So bloody speak!" He was clearly in his usual manc lion mood today, Alex thought.  
"I tell 'ya mate, I know no'fin. So you sod off."  
"We just need some answers, Derrick. Then we'll be done here." Alex carefully worded.  
"And if we don't get any answers, you might need to start praying on brainless illusory angels that do not exist, otherwise you might not be sleeping in that bed in your cell again. SO BLOODY SPEAK. NOW DERRICK!"  
"Ok, ok, ok, Mr Hunt." Derrick threw both Alex and Gene a sarcastic smile. "I am on of Frankie's lot. And he's planning a job- a big'en. Tomorrow on the Bay Street Garage."  
"Why Bay Street garage, Derrick? Out of all of the garages?"  
"Cos Frankie had worked there... I long while ago. He knows where everything is..."  
"Right, thank you criminal scum bag, bastard times two. Good day in your Hollywood styled cell." Gene threw him a sarcastic smile and headed out of the cell, closely followed by Alex.  
"Frankie goes to Hollywood..." Alex muttered to her self whilst walking along, secretly amused.  
"Oi, Raymondo, got anything?" Gene barked down the walkie talkie.  
"Yes Guv they've keeping all of their weapons, cars and plans all on Rigby Airfield- just found a map and plan leading to them."  
"An airfield? What they planning to do? Another dam busters on the garage?... Where is the airfield? A long way out?"  
"Guv, its Chris. We're on the move now. Just seen one of Frankie's big bastards. We're on the chase now."  
"You see, through you letting them go off by their selves more, they use their brains more. This is getting us results." Alex sighed.  
"I know. And results, remember is what we need."  
They both squealed off in the Quattro, Gene barking down the walkie talkie whilst driving to Chris and Ray.

"Ray... Chris... Come in. Where are you?" He spoke into the speaker. "Bloody useless... Respond you pair of-"  
"-Guv, we've lost him."  
"Oh great. Another one that bites the bloody dust. Well wasn't that a fantastic performance by Tom and Jerry?"  
Alex couldn't control herself over his sarcastic, amusing tone and started to giggle.  
"...Tom and Jerry. Out of anything you compare them to Tom and Jerry... Next minute they'll be laying cheese out for the criminals and getting really with their big, rubber hammers!"

Gene and Alex strolled back into the busy CID office; Shaz was busy typing away, everyone doing everything they should apart from Chris and Ray, who seemed to be just leisurely chatting.  
"You two old ladies got any work to do? Cos I don't suppose you have anything to do after letting some of the key criminals off today."  
"Yes Guv." Ray turned back to his desk and began writing.  
"Right, advances on this case. We now know that this job is happening in Bay Street Garage at sometime tomorrow. Map, Granger!" Shaz jumps up and stuck the map up on the board.  
"This garage out of all garages is an easy target for Frankie- he used to work there years ago and so he knows plenty of routes in and out of the place and where everything is in it. The tip offs we've had are saying that they'll be taking one of these four routes. Here- Down Walkerback Road." Alex pointed to the map. "Or here along Smithers Gate." She ran her finger down the road. "Here down Wilson Street. Or down Heartfield Road." She ran her fingers down the various different roads. "Now obviously we can't have someone on each route from our force, so we're going to have to take a blind guess. Or, send some of you in undercover in the garage. You've all had fire arms training, yeah?"  
"Now this is a big bastard job and we don't want anything going pear shaped. You're all getting here early tomorrow and ready to fight the scum bags to do with Frankie." Gene barked out.

The fresh new morning of November the 26th dawned; everyone was in CID alot earlier than usual, preparing for the job that they were executing. It had come to Gene's decision to send the whole of his team in undercover in the Garage- Shaz, DC Slate, DC Poirot and DC Terry as the garage shop workers, Ray and Chris armed with back-up and guns all in the store cupboard, ready to launch into action. Viv and Colin in one car in the garage, himself and Alex in a fast, flash white Jag 'filling up with petrol'. Everyone was tense, the last time they had had a job of this size was the one almost a year ago- the King Douglas Job, where Alex had almost been killed by her Gene Hunt, accidently.

"Right, arses into gear, let's get going down to this garage."  
The whole of CID on Gene's command all filed out of the office, surprisingly quiet, closely followed by Alex and Gene on the tail.  
"Will you ever put that thing away?" Alex worriedly asked Gene as he loaded his gun in the safe guard of the Quattro.  
"I'm going nowhere without this baby."  
She rolled his eyes at him. Somehow, she still didn't trust him holding a gun with bullets.  
"Don't you think we better move into the cover car now?"  
"Not yet... Wait for the signal." Gene picked up his walkie talkie. "Ray, Shaz, Chris. What's going on?"  
"Not much, Guv. All of the usual customers have now left; it's only our lot in here now.  
"Where's Colin and Viv?"  
"They have just entered the petrol station."  
"Right, me and bolly here are coming in."  
They both promptly moved out of the Quattro and into the undercover car, a white Jag.  
"Even when it's not your bloody car, you still drive like a lunatic!" Alex laughed as they skidded round yet another corner. Gene glanced across to her, smiling.  
"Nothing wrong with a bit of handbrake turns and tyre skids."  
They squealed into the Petrol Station and sat in the car, waiting.  
"Are you sure you're ok with doing all of this high action stuff in your state Bolls?"  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm not that bad. Yet..."

"Guv, three cars coming towards the Petrol station, one a gold Ford Sierra, one a red Mini Cooper and the other a blue Austin Allegro. " The walkie talkie crackled.  
"Right all teams get ready; I think we have Frankie coming. Do nothing until I give the word. Viv, get out and fill the car up." Gene barked down the radio.

Gene and Viv both get out their 'cars' and begin to fill them up with Petrol. The three cars came flying into the garage seconds later.

Edmund Butt's- Hunt's Theme plays here. Once this track has finished, Edmund Butt- Gene Undercover comes in straight afterwards.  
"NOW!" Gene yelled down the walkie talkie, the noise concealing his shouts and his large jacket hiding his radio as the criminal gang charge out of their motors.  
Ray and Chris burst into action, coming flying out of the cupboard door, followed by back up.  
"Stop! Police!" Chris yelled, flashing his warrant card.  
"Put all you weapons to the ground!" Ray chipped in.  
Some of them threw their weapons to the ground, but others did not. Gene and Alex had slowly crept up behind them, behind cover of a petrol pump. Viv and Colin were hidden behind another petrol pump and Shaz, DC Slate, DC Poirot and DC Terry all were being held at gun point inside the shop, their hands rose. Frankie, the first time we see him here, was pointing a gun directly at Ray. Time to shot, was the wavering thought in Gene's mind.

"If you shoot me, Frankie, there are nine other officers plus back up to take my place. Drop the gun."  
"You're in the police force. You do nothing but pain other people's lives." Frankie snarled back.  
"And if we are the police force, we wouldn't let you go when you are really a deep criminal scum bag." Gene had stood up from behind the Petrol pump and was aiming his gun directly at Frankie.  
Viv and Colin were now covering Gene's back, all guns pointing at Frankie. But what happened next no one could have seen coming.  
A scream, a cry for help. Someone had crept up behind Alex, grabbed her and was holding her at knifepoint.  
"If anyone of you moves, I'll slice her throat." The evil male holding Alex at knifepoint roared, his balaclava hiding his true identity.  
Another one of the operant's ran a short distance behind Gene, pulled out a petrol pump and started spraying it all over the ground.  
"Now you all move out of the way, drop your weapons and radio back and tell everyone that you don't need help. MOVE!" Another balaclava covered man yelled at them all.  
"And you think it's that easy, Frankie? More back up will be on its way in a bit, so there's no chance of that mate." Gene was very almost going to shoot Frankie at this moment, but another scream from Alex turned everyone's attention.  
"Gene...! Do something! He's trying to-"  
"Shut it sweet cheeks!"

Alex had seemed to have disappeared out of view, but whatever was happening to her, she was distressed. Gene lowered his gun and made a run towards her desperate cries. Gun shots aimed at Gene, a constant fire at him. Somehow he managed to not get hit and shoot the wicked criminal away from Alex. She was lying on the ground, clearly in a troubled state. A whole shoot out had broken out in the petrol station, bullets bouncing off everything. Ray, Chris, DC Slate, DC Poirot, DC Terry, Viv, and Colin and the rest of back up were all shooting at the gang madly. Shaz had noticed Frankie cowardly running off back in the shop and followed him.

"Stop! Or I will shot!" She demanded, charging after him with her gun at the ready. She fired a few warning shoots, he did not take any notice but was tiring from running. Meanwhile back in the main forecourt of the garage the mad shoot out was continuing. Gene was now covering the area where Alex was, shooting like a mad man, clearly enjoying the grip of having a gun once again. Most of the gang had been cuffed by now and shunted into the back of the police van. Only two were left, the one with a black motorbike helmet on, and Frankie, who Shaz was still in hot pursuit of.

"You're nicked, Frankie." Shaz grabbed hold of him, and similarly to Gene, he bashed him over a brick wall before cuffing him and leading him into the back of one of the police vans. Everyone now was pointing guns at this unknown criminal in his black motorbike helmet, but no one dared to shoot. He was holding a lighter and stood right near the petrol pooled area. All of them had petrol on them and they knew that one false move would cause the whole place to explode into deep, deadly fire, all of them burning alive.

"Let's keep it calm. Put the lighter down." Alex had suddenly recovered and from nowhere was slowly edging her way towards the back of the helmet male.  
"Come on; is it really worth killing yourself alone with all of these officers?"  
He glanced round, daring not to fully turn around to face Alex, knowing that if he did, they would all open fire on him.  
"You stay where you are. Stay back. Or I will light it."  
"Ok, I'm staying right here. I'm not moving any closer."  
"You've had your day; you've had your show. Drop it, mate." Gene commanded, edging close to the criminal. The helmeted man reacted with a violent turn towards him, almost ready to light the lighter.  
"I'd watch what you're saying, pal. One flick and you'll all be dead. And who's fault will that be?"

But Alex had moved secretly closer and quickly before he even noticed her, she launched onto the back of him, knocking the lighter clear of his hands and restraining him. She cuffed him and bitterly snarled into his ear.  
"Playing with fire is a dangerous game. Remember those adverts when you were a kid? Well I suggest you play attention to them. You're nicked!" She forcefully cuffed him and marched him over to the other police van parked near by.  
"She's got some balls that D.I. Drake has." Ray nudged Chris.  
"I'd watch what you're saying, D.I. Carling. She's mine. Back off." Gene sternly barked at him, whilst they watched Alex walk back over the group. Back up all left the area; the ordeal was clearly over and they were not needed. Gene's team all leant on the petrol pumps.  
"Good job today. We've finally got Frankie and his scum bags. Oh that is going to look good with super duper."

Alex re-joined them, and joined in with the leaning on the pump.  
"What we doing now Guv?"  
"A bit of celebrating at Luigi's, I'd say. We have something to celebrate." He smiled at the rest of his team.  
"What are we celebrating, Guv?"  
"Something very special for me, Ray." Ray threw him a surprised look. "Something special to both me and D.I. Alex Drake."  
Alex's face turned from its natural tone to a cherry red blush. The rest of the team waited in suspense.  
"I'd like to show you all this." He lifted her arm, revealing her glittering ring on her finger, the team exploded into cheering. "That means all drinks on me and serious piss up! Come on, what you waiting for?"  
The whole team moved with eagerness and left just Gene and Alex stood still leaning on the petrol pump.  
Edmund Butt- The Kiss begins here.

"You didn't mind me doing that... did you?"  
"...No. Of course not... We could never go around for ever without telling anyone, could we?"  
"No, Bolls." He smiled at her.  
"Thanks for that back there. Saving my life." She blinked at him, knowing that he was a hero by far now.  
The whole team had seemed to turn from their cars to watch the scene, enjoying seeing Gene and Alex finally happy together.  
"Well... I couldn't let him hurt you, could I?"  
She smiled at him.  
"I suppose not. Although you could of just left me to die..." She responded in all sarcasm, with a slight laugh, making Gene smile again.  
"Well I won't ever let you die, Bolly. Ever."  
She threw him a glinting smile, hinting that even though they were engaged she still enjoyed the sweet talk from him.  
"And you're super human?"  
They both giggled.  
"Of course. I'm untouchable. You know that."  
They giggle once again.  
"Just be careful were you point that gun, Gene... It always lands you in trouble... Remember, it was about this time last year..."  
"I know Bolls... And if there's one thing I regret the most in my life, it was me falling for that Jenette back then."  
"Well everybody makes mistakes sometimes. Nobody's perfect..." She gave him a tender smile. "Sometimes in life you can't help who you fall for... Even if they aren't the right one."  
"I know. And I've fallen for the right one now..." He smiled romantically up at her; she returned his smile for a grin and a laugh at her own thoughts.  
"I never imagined I would be stood here... right now with you, having this very conversation. And with him, our child..." She looked down, and smoothed her hand over her stomach.  
"Come here."  
They both embrace into a romantic hug and a long kiss. More cheers can be heard from the audience of the CID team. They break away at the end of the track.  
"Come on; let's get this party started then!" Gene enthusiastically started to make a move towards his White Jag for the day, with Alex closely following.  
The crack of a gun shot coming from nowhere threw Alex's world into slow motion.  
Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart begins here.  
She ran, as fast as she could, yet it seemed painstakingly unhurried towards Gene who had clearly been hit and was falling.  
"GENE!"  
Her yelling seemed to play in slow motion too; she could hear her pounding of her heart and her gasps of breaths consequently deafeningly. The rest of the CID team were pulsing gradually closer towards the falling Gene. Alex ran as hard as she possibly could, her heart beating out of its small shield and almost out of her throat, the tears already streaming from her eyes, she swept under him before he hit the ground with an almighty thud. She comforted him, holding on to him like he was some type of semi- precious stone.  
"Gene...!"  
"I." He spluttered. "I've been shot I... think. It's... It's not that... bad though..."  
"I'm not letting you die on me... You're untouchable. You know it."  
"I'm. Ok. Bolly." He coughed once more.  
"Listen... Don't talk. I know you can be stubborn...But... but just don't talk." She had tears coming streaming from her face as she comforted him.

# "(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart,  
(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart."#

His eyes were already turning glazed, his skin tone already fading. Alex bit by bit laid him on the ground, allowing him to breathe a little easier, and that's when she saw it.  
The gunshot entrance wound straight into his heart, or near about. She grabbed his hand and held is tight to comfort him.  
"I... I... don't want... to... leave you... bolly..." He gasped. With all his energy he managed to raise an arm and reach out to touch Alex's face.  
"I know..." She looked down at him lovingly.  
"Quick! Someone do something! Call an ambulance! DO SOMETHING!" Alex yelled in desperation at the rest of the team.  
She turned back to him.  
"Come on Gene, fight it! Don't let it get you! I need you... Our baby... he needs you... Fight! Fight for us!"  
"I..." He spluttered once again, barely managing to speak now.  
"You're... you're not... dying on me... Gene..."

# "(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart.  
(Turn around, bright eyes.) Every now and then I fall apart."#

He gasped for air in between every word.

"I... Love... You... Forever... Bolly..." He coughed once again, this time with dying energy. His eyes were closing; he was taking in the last few deep gasps of precious air.

# "And if you only hold me tight,  
We'll be holding on forever.  
And we'll only be making it right,  
'Cause we'll never be wrong.  
Together we take it to the end of the line,  
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)"#

"I... I love you too, Gene. Forever." She cried heavy tears over his dying corpse. "Never... Ever... Let... go of that... thought... Gene..." She kissed him on his cheek.  
"I... won't... Bolly... I... promise... you..." He struggled. "Look... after him... won't you...? I... love... you... bolly..."  
He took two more final deep, long gasps of air and that was it.

# "Once upon a time I was falling in love,  
But now I'm only falling apart.  
There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart."#

"Gene... No... Don't... "Alex ruptured into excessive tears. He was dead. She knew it.  
"Gene... Gene..."

# "Once upon a time there was light in my life,  
But now there's only love in the dark.  
Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart."#

"Gene...!" She flooded into the most tears that she had ever been.  
"Gene... come back... You... You... Can't be..."  
"Alex... move away from him... He's gone. I'm so sorry..." Even Ray had tears running down his face. She cried into his body, holding his hand still in the same place.  
"No... You... You can't be... dead... No... You just... can't be..."  
She moved and kissed him again on his cheek, crying tears into his lifeless eyes. It almost looked like he was crying himself.  
"Gene... You... you can't be gone...?"  
"Alex... Move back... He's gone."  
"Gene?" She shuck him, as if he was only sleeping and she was trying to awake him.  
"Gene... Come back... We both need you... ...Gene." She put her hand on his face, carefully wiping her own tears off his dead face.  
"GENE? You can't be... you're not... dead...?"

# "(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart.  
(Turn around, bright eyes.) Every now and then I fall apart."#

She kissed him lightly on the cheek once again, but she felt like she was lightly forced away. Ray was pulling her away from his dead body. Chris had bought a white cover out of the back of one of the cars to cover up his dead body, also shedding tears.  
"Alex... Come on. Leave his dead soul in peace." Ray stood her up properly. She fell straight into his arms, needing support to keep herself physically standing much more.  
"It... It should have been me... Me..." She howled, trying to move away from Ray. "I should have taken that bullet."  
"Ma'am..." Shaz moved towards Alex, hugging her as if she was her own sister. Alex cried deeply into Shaz.

# "Together we take it to the end of the line,  
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)"#

"I should be dead... Not him."  
"Those decisions only can be made once. You never really know just what you're giving, until it happens." Shaz hugged her tightly, tears dribbling down her face.  
And those very words seemed to stick in Alex's head.  
"...Until you're living in the lifeline?" She mournfully asked, thinking back all them months ago when herself and Gene had just entered that of a more serious nature of their relationship and she had sat listening to that track alot.  
"Yeah..."

# "Once upon a time I was falling in love,  
But now I'm only falling apart.  
There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart."#

"Shaz... He... He was the love... of my life... And now... now... he's gone..." She spewed into more and more tears.

# "Once upon a time there was light in my life,  
But now there's only love in the dark.  
Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart."#

"I know..." Shaz hugged her tighter in an attempt to reassure her.  
"He's dead... and gone."

# "a total eclipse of the heart."#

"...And he's not... here... to watch his... own son... grow up..."

# "Turn around bright eyes"#

"...That was the only... thing he wanted... the most."

# "Turn around bright eyes"#

"And he... never will see..."

# "Turn around."#  
The whole very sad scene fades out with the track.


End file.
